Salary Outlook
The Labor Department reports that database administrators made a median salary of $75,190 in 2011. The highest-paid 10 percent in the profession earned $116,870, while the lowest-paid earned $42,360 that year. Some of the most highly compensated positions can be found in these industries: computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing, communications equipment manufacturing, and natural gas distribution. The top-paying metropolitan areas for this position are clustered around San Francisco and San Jose, Calif., as well as Trenton-Ewing, N.J.
| Job Salary | Year |
|---|---|
| 2002 | $58,360.00 |
| 2004 | $68,510.00 |
| 2006 | $71,310.00 |
| 2008 | $77,140.00 |
| 2010 | $75,730.00 |
Average Database Administrator Pay vs. All Technology Jobs
Database administrators are well-compensated, but not as well as IT managers, software developers, or computer systems analysts. However, database administrators earn more than computer programmers.
| Job Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $118,010.00 |
| Software Developer | $89,280.00 |
| Computer Systems Analyst | $78,770.00 |
| Database Administrator | $75,190.00 |
| Computer Programmer | $72,630.00 |
See Complete List of Best Technology Jobs
Best Paying Cities for Database Administrators
The highest paid in the database administrator profession work in the metropolitan areas of San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Trenton, NJ. The Dalton, GA area also pays well, as does the city of Washington, DC.
San Jose, CA
Average Salary: $99,780 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a database administrator working in San Jose, CA is $99,780, which is $24,590 more than the average pay in the profession.
San Francisco, CA
Average Salary: $93,980 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a database administrator working in San Francisco, CA is $93,980, which is $18,790 more than the average pay in the profession.
Trenton, NJ
Average Salary: $91,930 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a database administrator working in Trenton, NJ is $91,930, which is $16,740 more than the average pay in the profession.
Dalton, GA
Average Salary: $91,420 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a database administrator working in Dalton, GA is $91,420, which is $16,230 more than the average pay in the profession.
Washington, DC
Average Salary: $91,120 | See Job Openings
The annual median wage of a database administrator working in Washington, DC is $91,120, which is $15,930 more than the average pay in the profession.
